2013 World Rowing Coastal Championships get underway

16 August 2013

Unsettled weather conditions brought tough conditions for this year’s competitors on day one of the 2013 World Rowing Coastal Championships in Helsingborg, Sweden. Wind and a strong current forced many athletes off course in the final stretch of the competition.

The format of racing for the heats is that boats row a 4,000m course that took them out along the beach far from the Swedish shore, around a large turn and back along the beach. This course will be extended to 6,000 metres for finals racing. At the finish of the course, the rower sitting at bow must jump out of the boat and sprint to the finish line, located about 100m up the beach.Boats lined up on the beach, ready for racing at the 2013 World Rowing Coastal Championships in Helsingborg, Sweden.Men’s coxed quadruple sculls (CM4x+)
In the first heat of this championship regatta, the men’s quadruple sculls, France displayed their coastal rowing dominance. Finishing in a time of 16:56 was France 03 from St. Malo. The following three crews had an exciting battle on the beach, landing simultaneously and sprinting for the finish line. France 01, from Chablais Aviron Thonon managed to get the upper hand, overtaking Falkenbergs Roddklubb (SWE) and Circulo Canottieri Sturnia Trieste (ITA). The top eight crews from this heat qualified for the A-final.Qualifiers: FRA 03, FRA01, SWE 01, ITA 01, RUS 01, GBR 01, ITA 03, FRA 06,

The Société Natique de Monaco (MON), with two-time Olympian Mathias Raymond in the bow seat, won heat two in a time of 16:34. Almost 20 seconds behind them were Rthc Bayer Leverkusen (GER) and Gravelines Usa (FRA). These two crews landed on the beach at exactly the same time and Bayer Leverkusen's Thorsten Jonischkeit leaping out of the boat, to sprint up the beach and secure the second place finish.Qualifiers : MON 01, GER 01, FRA 02, ITA 02, FRA 04, FRA 05, ESP 01, DEN 01

Men’s double sculls (CM2x)
In the heat one of the men’s double sculls it was the Russian duo who managed to come home first in a time of 18:03. The top five crews were relatively spread out, making their beach landing and sprint to the finish line slightly more relaxed. Nazario Sauro (ITA) finished in second, followed by another Italian club, Canottieri Santo Stefano al Mare A.S.D. In the fourth spot were the Greek twins and London 2012 Olympians, Nikolaos and Apostlos Gkountoulas who are silver and bronze medallists from the World Rowing Championships and four-time European Rowing Champions. The top eight boats from this heat progress to the A-final.Qualifiers: RUS 01, ITA 05, ITA 01, GRE 01, ESP 01, FRA 02, SWE 02, FRA 07

The field was spread again in the second heat of the men’s double sculls. It was no surprise to see Italy and France in the top spots, and this time it was Italy’s Canottieri Luini A.S.D. to cross the finish line first. Spectators and passers-by cheered as Cam Barneville-Carteret (FRA) and another Italian team, Circulo Canottieri Saturnia Trieste sprinted for the finish line. With a home course advantage, Helsingborg RK finished in fourth to qualify for the A-final.Qualifiers: ITA 04, FRA 03, ITA 02, SWE 01, GBR 01, RUS 02, ITA 07, BEL 01

Men’s solo (CM1x)
The competition was steep in the first heat of the men’s single sculls, or solo. Holding his own at the front of the field was Italy’s Pietro Milos, who was 11th at the 2011 World Rowing Coastal Championships in Bari, Italy. He was chased onto the beach by Adolfo Ferrer Marin of Spain and the local favourite, Peter Berg (SWE). These three may be considered among the favourites for the podium, but don’t rule out fourth place finisher Simone Martini of Italy or eight place Alberto Etxtarte Zambrano (ESP), who finished fourth and second respectively two years ago in Bari, Italy.Qualifiers: ITA 03, ESP 02, SWE 01, ITA 01, SWE 05, FRA 03, FRA 02, ESP 03

Experienced coastal sculler, Dennis Gustavsson (SWE) crossed the line first in the second heat of the men’s solo with a time of 26:13. He was closely followed by the Spanish sculler Lars Gumprecht and France’s Benoit Bride. These competitors faced rougher water with more wind as they raced later in the day. With choppy conditions forecast again for tomorrow, medals in this boat class could go anywhere. Qualifiers: SWE 02, ESP 04, FRA 01, FRA 06, ITA 02, ESP 01, FRA 04, SWE 06